Statistics show that about 70% of customers kept buying from the same company for more than four years, and 38% of drivers have never even compared quotes to find affordable rates. Wisconsin drivers could save as much as $373 each year, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to find affordable insurance by shopping around.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get cheaper Lincoln Mark LT insurance is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from different companies in Madison. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Try to learn a little about what is in your policy and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price such as multiple speeding tickets and poor credit can be rectified by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Continue reading for more details to help find cheaper rates and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers. Get quotes now
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper price is available in Madison. If you find better rates, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Give notification to your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current policy. Submit payment and a signed application for the new policy. Immediately upon receiving it, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One bit of advice is to make sure you’re comparing identical limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to look at every company you can. This guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Shop Lincoln Mark LT insurance online
Most major insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive provide price estimates on their websites. This process is quite simple because you just enter the amount of coverage you want as requested by the quote form. Behind the scenes, the system obtains credit information and your driving record and returns pricing information.
Quoting online for Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Madison streamlines rate comparisons, and it’s absolutely necessary to get many rate quotes in order to get cheaper rates.
To save time and get comparison pricing now, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This ensures you will get comparison quotes for similar insurance coverage.
The companies shown below are ready to provide price quotes in Wisconsin. If your goal is to find cheap auto insurance in WI, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Verify you’re earning every discount
Some providers don’t always advertise every discount they offer very well, so we researched some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to bring down your rates.
- Multi-line Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a discounted rate on car insurance if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may reduce rates when you quote Madison car insurance with certain companies.
- Resident Student – Older children living away from Madison attending college without a vehicle on campus may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your auto and home insurance with one company you could save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- E-sign – Some auto insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application on the web.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of making monthly payments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
A quick disclaimer, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
A few popular companies and their offered discounts include:
- Farmers Insurance has savings for multi-car, switch companies, mature driver, distant student, and good student.
- Esurance policyholders can earn discounts including good student, emergency road assistance, good driver, defensive driver, and Pac-12 alumni.
- State Farm discounts include multiple autos, passive restraint, anti-theft, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, and good driver.
- GEICO may have discounts that include anti-theft, daytime running lights, driver training, defensive driver, air bags, and five-year accident-free.
- Allstate may include discounts for good student, resident student, passive restraint, anti-lock brakes, new car, multi-policy, and eSmart discount.
When getting free Madison car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to each company or agent what discounts are available to you. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in your state.
Insurance agent or online?
Some consumers just prefer to buy from a local agent and that can be a great decision A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain better rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting local insurance agencies is definitely important in Madison.
After completing this quick form, the quote information gets sent to companies in Madison who want to provide quotes for your business. You don’t have to contact any agents because prices are sent directly to your email. Get lower rates AND a local agent. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific company, just visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choose the right auto insurance agent
If you are searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies can either be independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent do not sell for just one brand and that is an advantage because they can write policies with lots of companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you want to switch companies, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing insurance prices, it’s a good idea to get some free quotes from at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller companies which could offer lower prices.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Madison that may be able to give you pricing information.
- Prairie Land Insurance Agency
2045 Atwood Ave #113A – Madison, WI 53704 – (608) 251-3009 – View Map - Above and Beyond Insurance
6601 Grand Teton Plaza #7 – Madison, WI 53719 – (608) 203-8666 – View Map - Dairyland Auto Insurance
1800 Deming Way – Madison, WI 53717 – (608) 836-3000 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive are contracted to one company such as Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents are highly trained on the products they sell which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Consumers frequently use the same exclusive agent primarily because of the brand name and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Madison that can give you price quote information.
- GEICO Insurance Agent
2001 W Beltline Hwy Suite 100 – Madison, WI 53713 – (608) 242-9322 – View Map - Melissa Eckstrom – State Farm Insurance Agent
1771 Thierer Rd – Madison, WI 53704 – (608) 663-5000 – View Map - Larry Sain – State Farm Insurance Agent
424 S Park St – Madison, WI 53715 – (608) 257-5132 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agent requires you to look at more than just a cheap price. Any good agent in Madison should know the answers to these questions.
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Madison?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
When selecting coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
For instance, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- How long can I keep a teen driver on my policy?
- Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Does my policy cover me if I wreck while driving under the influence?
- What is the difference between personal and commercial auto insurance policies?
- Can I get by with minimal medical coverage if I have good health insurance?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
Seven Things That Influence Your Insurance Premiums
Lots of things are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but other criteria are less apparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is. When buying insurance it’s important to understand some of the things that help calculate your premiums. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get better insurance rates.
The itemized list below are a few of the “ingredients” insurance companies consider when setting your rates.
Pay more if you have a long commute – Choosing to live in a small town may provide you with better prices when buying insurance. City drivers tend to have more auto accidents and longer commute times. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accidents.
Advanced alarm systems – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Advanced theft deterrents such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms can thwart auto theft.
Getting married brings a discount – Being married may cut your premiums compared to being single. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because being married results in fewer claims.
Performance makes a difference – The performance level of the vehicle you need to insure makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. Low performance passenger models normally have pretty low rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Your gender affects costs – Over time, data shows that women are safer drivers than men. This data doesn’t prove that men are WORSE drivers than women. Females and males are responsible for fender benders at about the same rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically get higher numbers of serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
Liability protection limits on your policy – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if you are responsible for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense which can cost a lot. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
Safer occupants lowers prices – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Vehicles built for safety reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company which can mean better rates for you.
Insurance in Wisconsin serves several purposes
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Lincoln Mark LT in Madison, insuring your vehicle serves several important purposes.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you want to drive legally. In Wisconsin these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you bought your Lincoln Mark LT with a loan, almost all lenders will stipulate that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you default on your policy, the bank may insure your Lincoln at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Lincoln Mark LT. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your car definitely exceed the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $750 every year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to save money.
Find cheap rates by being thorough
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to save on Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Madison. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Madison car insurance, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies.
Cheap Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Madison can be found both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to shop Madison car insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies.
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
More tips and info about car insurance is located at these sites:
- Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Madison Auto Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Toyota Corolla in Madison? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)